A Hundred Ways to Say
by Blitz Chick
Summary: The way that Axton and Maya have developed in 100 sentences.


**1. Smile –** The first time she did so, he stopped and it almost cost him his life. But later, as Zero silently patched him up, Axton admitted that it was worth it.  
**2. Love –** He'd been there once, he'd even married her, but that was in the past. Sarah was cool and calculating, but Maya was a different breed.  
**3. Happy –** Seeing Axton happy wasn't unusual, but the first time she saw genuine happiness and not a front, Maya felt as though she were witnessing a rare event, like the opening of a Vault.  
**4. Sad –** In spite of his attitude, there was a sense of loss behind Axton's quips and sass, and in a way, Maya can relate.  
**5. Angry –** She's terrifying when she's angry, the tattoos on her arm and hip lighting up, but for some reason, Axton can't bring himself to look away from the fury of the Siren before him.  
**6. Hatred –** When they first met, Maya was convinced she'd hate the sandy-blonde with the cocky attitude. Now, she can't explain it, but she's found that she doesn't.  
**7. Betrayal –** Every once in a while, he'll find her cursing some Brother or another, and while she'll never tell him what happened, Axton has a feeling that's the reason she is so reluctant to work with him.  
**8. Unexpected –** "MOVE" was the only warning Maya had before Axton was inches from her, the projectile from the rocket launcher skimming just past them.  
**9. Forgiven –** Axton knows that he's done some pretty terrible stuff in the past, but somehow, when he gets the chance to work with her, there's the feeling that he's done something right after all.  
**10. New arrival –** It wasn't that there weren't open seats on the train, but the fact that he simply HAD to sit next to her already intrigued Maya.  
**11. Dream land –** At first he thought she didn't sleep, but then as time went on, Axton realized that she's late to bed and early to rise so if he wants to see her asleep, it's gotta be between midnight and dawn.  
**12. Death –** The blue haired siren was alight with rage and fire, Hyperion soldiers falling before her path; it wouldn't be until later that she realized it was only the fear of his death that sparked her ire.  
**13. Friend –** It was a word he was not used to being called – jackass, traitor, idiot, and asshole were all common, but not that one.  
**14. Forbidden love –** The feeling was unusual and truth be told Maya hadn't expected to be the one to fall first, but once she did she knew there would be no going back.  
**15. Sunset –** Axton was okay with his marriage and career in the military ending; just as long as it meant that he could stay with the siren for another day.  
**16. Sunrise –** In the pale pink light, his hair was a dusky rose color and for some reason, it made the siren want to reach out and touch it.  
**17. Twilight –** It's the closest thing he can think is like her; she's all blue and cool with a warmth to it that the night and the sunrise just can't capture,  
**18. Spring –** In the lush green valleys of the Highlands he's tripping over himself and enjoying the feel of the cool ocean air while she can only smile – the rejuvenation of the landscape suits him somehow.  
**19. Summer –** Heat and dust and blazing suns all seem to fit as she stands there in the Dust, letting it play with her hair as though she were a living ice sculpture.  
**20. Autumn –** When the weather starts to turn colder he builds fires to keep them warm; small ones so that they all have to huddle close to avoid attracting Hyperion. Surprisingly, Maya doesn't mind.  
**21. Winter –** The ice and snow lend themselves more to her, but there is something about the frigid land that simply does not suit Maya's wild and reckless grin.  
**22. Forgotten** – Somehow, it seems so impossible to her that someone as lively as Axton could be simply wiped from the records, but he shrugs and laughs, simply stating that "It happens darling."  
**23. Alone –** It isn't until he hears Mordecai discussing about how there are only six sirens in the universe at any time that Axton starts to realize that she has always been that way and why she seems a little more intent on sticking with them.  
**24. Scared** – She can't help but freeze as the cold feeling wraps around her chest, the bullets skipping across her shield and a few finally entering her arms and legs. It's the first time she feels this way, but when he arrives, scooping her into his arms, Maya knows that this is the last time she'll feel fear.  
**25. Fate** – Axton never was one to believe that he was out of control of his own destiny, that just wasn't his style, but he can't help but believe that there was some reason that he's with her.  
**26. Luck** – Maya is one for luck, but only in the sense that you make your own as you go; somehow, she can't imagine how, but she got lucky enough to meet Axton.  
**27. Skill** – Axton knows that there is plenty of work that goes into being able to know when to throw his turret and when to hold back, but watching Maya's phase lock is something completely alien to him and he kinda likes it.  
**28. Pain** – She cries out in spite of herself as Doctor Zed pulls yet another bullet from her body. What she doesn't see is the grimace of agony that crosses Axton's face as he waits just beyond the curtain.  
**29. Injury** – The sandy-haired soldier is always trying to be tough about it, but Maya knows better when she catches him in little moments, only when he thinks none of them can see, that he's hurting just as much as they are.  
**30. Lake** – Looking out over the vast expanse of water that Opportunity sits in, Maya can't help but think that it's more of an ocean, but if she stands in the shallows and really tries she can see the opposite shore.  
**31. Sea** – As they sprint along the edge of the water, Axton can't help but stare at the way her hair ripples in the wind; it's just a shade lighter than ice and a bit too cold to be the same as the water they sprint beside and it's the most lovely thing he's seen today.  
**32. Beauty** – He's not going to be winning any contests, that's for sure, but there's something about Axton's scars and lines and imperfections that draws Maya to him like a rakk to a bonfire.  
**33. Pretty** – It's too simple a word for her, he knows that, but it's the only one he can think of when a citizen of Sanctuary asks him to describe Maya.  
**34. Ugly** – It's the word Maya uses to hurl at Lilith when she talks about how she uses Eridium to enhance her powers and even though she knows it's got a lot of bite behind it, the blue haired siren doesn't regret saying it.  
**35. Revenge** – Nobody would dare get in the way of Axton when he said he was going after the stalker that hurt Maya; something about the way he looked simply implied it would be an extremely unwise idea.  
**36. Scarred** – Beneath the glowing tattoos and delicate skin, Axton is shocked to see long marks on Maya's back; she knows he sees them, but she won't say anything.  
**37. Impossible** – The first time he mentions relationships, Maya starts laughing, claiming that nobody's been crazy enough to try with her; Axton takes that as a challenge.  
**38. Evil** – Both of them agree, Handsome Jack can't be left alive, but in some unspoken way they both seem to understand that they've made some pretty bad decisions of their own too.  
**39. Angel** – The wings erupt from her back, fiery and dripping with acid, and as she stands over him to use her body as a shield against bullets Axton can't help but think that he's been saved by a messenger from God.  
**40. Devil** – It's not that he's a bad person, he really isn't, but sometimes he's the voice whispering into Maya's ear telling her to cut loose a little and take that extra shot.  
**41. Sparkles** – She emerged from the water covered in Thresher blood and soaking wet, her hair plastered to her cheeks, but for some reason Axton can't help but think that the way the moonlight catches the moisture on her face makes it look like she's glittering.  
**42. It wasn't me** – That's what he claims when Maya confronts him, curiosity in her voice only matched by her intensity; still, if he didn't leave those flowers in there, who did?  
**43. He did it** – When she leaves with the big bouquet of blade flowers, Axton can finally let down his guard and smile that big, shit-eating grin that he's been holding back.  
**44. The dog ate it** – "You have got to be shitting me" she murmurs while looking at the bounty board; sure, skags would eat anything, but this was ridiculous.  
**45. Run away** – Axton is quick to correct Maya that they are simply "advancing backwards," not fleeing the massive Thresher whose home they just disturbed.  
**46. Victim** – It's never crossed her mind before that she could be classified as such, but when Axton points out how the monks were using her, she sort of has to agree even if she doesn't feel like one.  
**47. Jealous** – The feeling is completely irrational and he knows it, but somehow Axton can't help but feel like punching something when he sees Maya and Zero together all the time even though he knows that they're just really close friends.  
**48. Male** – Somehow it never struck Maya until it was too late to stop herself from falling for him, but Axton is nothing like the monks at the abbey.  
**49. Female –** At first glance Axton knows there would never be a chance of him mistaking her for anything less than a woman, but every now and then he finds that he's being reminded when she smiles or laughs.  
**50. On top of the world** – The top of Sawtooth Cauldron offers a breathtaking view, but for Maya, the only thing better than being up there was jumping off, her hand instinctively twined with Axton's.  
**51. Feeling good –** There was never anything more right in Axton's mind than the feel of her soft hands in his own; not even the feeling of soaring through the air could change that.  
**52. A night under the stars –** Somewhere between the stalker attacks and threshers, Maya found that Axton was a pretty good conversational partner; as more nights passed, it became habit that he would stay up late and talk with her until she slept.  
**53. Please go away –** It's her soft plea that he cannot ignore while she is laying there on the ground, curled up to protect the angry, red burns from being seen.  
**54. Running from your problems –** Sure, it's something that she's been doing all her life, but when she hears Axton doing the same, Maya's the first to tell him that he needs to face up to it, even if that means getting over his wife's rejection of him.  
**55. Sunflower –** She wasn't sure where he got it, but the fact that he bounds over and tucks the massive bud behind her ear somehow makes the siren's heart flutter.  
**56. Lily –** He'd wanted to get some of the vibrant orange and white flowers for her, but on Pandora the delicate blooms simply wouldn't have survived, unlike Maya.  
**57. Pretty girl –** It wasn't a description she would apply to herself, but Axton was more than willing to entertain and be very vocal about his opinion on her physical appearance; between her striking blue hair and eyes, alabaster skin, and strong personality, Maya was at the very least pretty.  
**58. Handsome man –** He was, in a very rugged way, although Axton had to admit that after coming to Pandora his looks weren't something that the consciously focused on.  
**59. Stars –** It was hard to see them sometimes, what with the huge Hyperion satellite in the way, but Maya still looked for them the nights that Axton laid awake with her.  
**60. Moon –** In the silver light, Maya looked almost ethereal as she stood watch over their camp; he claimed that it was insomnia but there would always be a part of him that knew it was to watch her.  
**61. Sun –** Axton, she decided, was like the warm ball of fusion that shone above; with his golden hair, brilliant smile, and effervescent attitude it was hard not to make the comparison.  
**62. Pet –** She's not one for animals, especially not the ones here on Pandora, but Axton can't help but laugh when she starts to call Dukino their 'dog'.  
**63. Baby –** When Axton began using the name, Maya slapped him every time the word left his mouth; now she just shoots him a withering glare and decided that maybe it wasn't so bad.  
**64. Abandoned –** As Maya walks away, Axton struggles to figure out how to fill the pit that seemed to open up in his chest, which is why he finds himself in the loneliest corner of Moxxi's bar.  
**65. Sailing –** The skiffs don't even touch the sand and as they skim over the sand with Zero at the wheel, the blue eyed siren can't help but laugh at Axton's cry of "I'm king of the world!"  
**66. Sinking –** He was too far gone before he realized how much he cared for Maya; Only when he charged headfirst into the deep water to retrieve her from the Thresher and ended up below the surface did it finally hit him.  
**67. Drowning –** Maya emerged from the depths with one soggy, sputtering soldier in her arms; it's only once they're on shore that she can relax knowing that he's alive and still breathing air, not water.  
**68. Saved –** It's a drunken confession and he knows it, just as he knows that she'll probably write it off as such, but as he fumbles to stop the room from spinning, Axton manages the words "Maya…you rescued me."  
**69. Hug –** They're making camp in the Fridge the first time it happens; mostly it was because he saw her shaking like a leaf, but then again, Maya isn't exactly pulling away.  
**70. Kiss –** He's fairly certain she's asleep, which is what gives him the nerve to do it in the first place; even so, Axton couldn't be sure if that was a smile or not as he pulls away.  
**71. Light –** As they wait by the burning wreckage of the car for the others to come by with a truck, Maya smiles as Axton tells grand stories, his hands waving wildly; without him, she has a feeling that this planet might have gotten to her on some level.  
**72. Dark** – She hates the Eridian Blight and he knows that it's because for some reason, Maya strongly dislikes all the sulfur and dark stone around her, which is why he tries to get everything done so damn fast while they're there.  
**73. Heaven –** Even though neither of them has said a word about it, Maya knows that her favorite place on Pandora might just be in his arms, late at night when he thinks she's asleep.  
**74. Measure –** Being near her, Axton has learned there is no good way to judge a person – after all, that pretty face he met on the train is one of the most ruthless women he knows.  
**75. Blood –** She's covered with it by the time she's done helping sew shut one of the many bullet holes that Salvador had sustained in the last fight and silently she's glad that it isn't Axton.  
**76. No hope –** Handsome Jack's broadcasts never scared her before their assault on the Bunker, but afterwards, Axton can see her visibly stiffen and begin to shake – with rage or fear, he can't be sure.  
**77. Sleeping –** While Maya can't understand why he needs so much of it, she certainly enjoys watching Axton sprawled out, one hand curled around a gun the other off at an angle she's fairly sure isn't comfortable.  
**78. 99% -** No matter how sure he is that he wants to tell her, there's always that one percent that holds him back.  
**79. Light at the end of the tunnel –** Maybe it's because they're finally getting close to the Vault, but Maya swears that she and Axton are getting closer to each other.  
**80. Family –** It's an old quote that she told him once, but looking at how they all sit together without even questioning it, Axton has to agree with Maya: "Family doesn't end with blood."  
**81. Holding my hand –** It began somehow – at this point neither could remember – but for the first time, she consciously held her hand out and without a word, he understood and took it.  
**82. Until the end –** They paused at the top of the massive stone stairs, the heat from the lava suffocating; briefly she squeezed his hand before leading the way, her voice sarcastic "Well, if we're gonna die, might as well get it over with."  
**83. Until tomorrow –** Axton silently promised himself one thing before following after her; either they were both coming out of this or neither of them were.  
**84. The sun will come up again –** Seeing Lilith so beaten down was the catalyst Maya needed to know that there would be no losing this fight; she would personally put a bullet into Jack's brain if only for the chance to walk out of there with Axton and her fellow siren.  
**85. Insanity –** Nothing in the army could ever have prepared Axton to stare down the Warrior as it burst from the lava, but then again, there had never been anything in training about falling in love with a siren either.  
**86. Innocence –** Before coming to Pandora, Maya never would have trusted anyone to watch her back, but as she listens to Axton put down another Rakk that attempted to dive bomb them, she has never been so glad to be wrong.  
**87. Depression –** It's an odd place to be thinking about it, but Axton has to admit that for all the stress and craziness that's come from being a Vault Hunter, he's never been happier; and most of it is because of her.  
**88. Got you –** It's as the Warrior dies Maya finds herself stumbling backwards and inadvertently into Axton, who just smiles as he steadies her.  
**89. So this is death –** Sure, Axton's killed people – more than he can count at this point – but watching Lilith put a bullet into Handsome Jack's head kind of put an exclamation point on two things; one, Jack was finally gone and two, sirens were not to be trifled with.  
**90. So this is heaven –** It isn't until they're back in Sanctuary that Maya starts to smile – it's all over and finally, she can maybe bring herself to say something she's needed to say to him.  
**91. So this is hell –** Axton stops smiling when they arrive back to Sanctuary because without a cause, she's going to leave to look for answers and he knows that he can't go with her.  
**92. So this is freedom –** Without anything tying them to the planet or to Sanctuary, Maya finds herself reveling in the feeling that there is nothing that can hold her down….well, almost nothing.  
**93. Freedom –** Even though she says she's going to go eventually, she asks him if she can spend a few nights at his place, since she doesn't have anywhere to stay; ignoring the fact she could stay with Maya, Axton says yes and silently thanks god that she isn't gone yet.  
**94. Memories –** Laying there in the darkness on Axton's couch, Maya can't help but think about all the times they spent together, and not just the ones where they were fighting, but the ones where it was just them together.  
**95. Lust –** She's only feet away and he knows it, but Axton can't –or won't – go to her now because he doesn't want to ruin an already fragile thing.  
**96. Wanting –** It's Maya that closes the distance between them, not even bothering to knock before entering his room and climbing in with him; there was nothing that needed to be said to convey what they both needed.  
**97. Money –** After all of their missions and bounties, they don't need to worry about finances, but even so, Axton can tell something's bothering Maya when they're out to replace some of their weapons and shields.  
**98. Homeless –** He's the only one she could feel comfortable telling this to, but Maya can feel her cheeks warming when she admits to Axton that she's never had a place to call her own before.  
**99. Home –** "Mi casa es su casa" are the first words out of his mouth when she admits that to him, and somehow, Axton knows that it's the closest he's going to get to saying that he might be in love with her.  
**100. Together at last –** Her lips meet his and for once on this whole crazy journey, Maya has the feeling that something has gone right.


End file.
